Hawkins Airs TV Ads as Siena Poll Shows 3rd Party Surge

Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate for Governor, has begun to run television ads as the newest Siena College poll shows a surge in support for third party candidates.

Hawkins had been running video ads for several weeks on social media but has now bought cable television ads in the Syracuse and Albany markets, and has been trying to buy time elsewhere.

Seven percent of New Yorkers in the Siena poll said they planned to vote for one of the third party candidates, with Hawkins polling at 2%. He received double that in 2014. Another 7% of the voters are undecided.

Cuomo is badly losing in upstate New York.

“I am the only progressive remaining on the ballot in New York. With Cuomo holding a safe double digit lead over Molinaro, voters need to send Cuomo a message that they demand action on climate, jobs and wages, single payer health care, and progressive education reform,” said Hawkins.

Hawkins said he and the other third party candidates would be doing even better if any television or radio network had broadcast last week’s gubernatorial debate that Cuomo skipped.

“Voter don’t like being taken for granted by politicians,” noted Hawkins. “And there is a lot of displeasure over Cuomo’s performance and the level of corruption he is presiding over and benefiting from.”